EVENTS IN THE CURRENT CRISIS
3 Mar 1991 Ceasefire agreed on Persian Gulf War, or Operation Desert Storm
3 Apr 1991 UN passes Resolution 687, ordering the destruction of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction
17 Jun 1993 UN issues its last finding of “material breach” against Iraq.
20 Mar 1996 UNSCOM reports Iraqi resistance, violating the “unfettered access” agreement.
23 Oct 1997 After more than a year of Iraqi interference, the UN suspends sanctions reviews until April 98.
29 Oct 1997 Iraq bans Americans in UNSCOM from making any inspections.
13 Nov 1997 Iraq expels Americans working for UNSCOM
14 Nov 1997 US House of Representatives passes motion backing unilateral US military action against Iraq, but only as a last resort.
14 Feb 1998 Robin Cook, then UK Foreign Secretary, first uses the phrase “doing nothing is not an option” with Iraq. This was to become UK government’s position until August 2002.
23 Feb 1998 Iraq offers access to eight “Presidential sites” in Iraq, in a compromise deal.
2 Mar 1998 UN Security Council seeks to bolster compromise by passing a unanimous resolution (1154) saying that Iraq’s failure to comply with UN sanctions will have the “most severe consequences”
Runup to Operation Desert Fox
06 July 1998 Iraq seizes from UNSCOM documents suggesting it may have 6,000 more bombs left over from its war with Iran than it had admitted to.
5 Aug 1998 Iraq says it will no longer allow UNSCOM to inspect new facilities
14 Aug 1998 US Senate passes a motion declaring Iraq to be in “material breach” of its obligations.
09 Sep 1998 UN Security Council unanimously passes Resolution 1194, suspending sanctions reviews.
31 Oct 1998 Iraq bans all remaining UNSCOM activities
14 Nov 1998 Clinton delays his planned strikes on Iraq by 24 hours, in hope of lastminute deal.
15 Nov 1998 A deal is delivered, as Iraq agrees to rescind its ban on UNSCOM activities. Diffuses crisis.
15 Dec 1998 UNSCOM weapons inspectors withdraw from Iraq, saying Saddam has not delivered the unfettered access he promised, rendering the team unable to perform their mission.
16 Dec 1998 Operation Desert Fox begins. US and UK launch 415 cruise missiles and 200 bombs at 50 Iraqi locations. It was, however, a flop (The Center for Strategic and International Studies has described Desert Fox as “a near total failure.” Its full report is entitled “If We Fight Iraq,” revised 28 June 2002). Only ten targets were destroyed and 18 severely damaged. US says it killed 1,400 Iraqi troops. Baghdad says 62.
20 Dec 1998 End of Desert Fox, a 72-hour operation. Clinton says more may follow.
03 Jan 1999 Saddam declares no-fly zones as “illegal” and says his people will resist them with “bravery and courage”. Offers $15,000 bounty to any unit that succeeds in downing an Allied jet.
26 Mar 2001 Iraq complains to UN that allied air strikes have killed 315 and wounded 965 Iraqi civilians.
16 Feb 2001 February 2001 air strikes. US and UK fighters bomb five Iraqi defence instalments. The raid is reported to have had seen limited success.
24 July 2001 Iraqis fire a missile at U2 aircraft; defence sources say it came close to hitting it.
31 July 2001 US defense department reports Iraq’s “considerably more aggressive stance in trying to bring down allied aircraft.”
27 Aug 2001 Iraqi downs its first US aircraft – an unmanned USAF RQ1B Predator, or “drone”
11 Sep 2001 A second US “drone” is lost over Iraq.
September 11 attacks. Iraq only Arab country not to send formal condolences to US.
29 Jan 2002 In his state of the union address, George Bush identifies Iraq along with Iran and North Korea as forming an ”axis of evil”.
01 Jun 2002 President Bush, in a speech to graduating West Point cadets, says the US will “confront regimes that sponsor terror” and that they must “confront the worst threats before they emerge.” This is seen as introducing a doctrine of pre-emption.
06 Jun 2002 Dick Cheney, US vice president, develops the pre-emption theme in a speech saying that Saddam is a dictator who is pursuing “deadly capabilities” and such a regime “must never be allowed to threat America with weapons of mass destruction.”
17 Jun 2002 The Washington Post reports that President Bush has signed an order directing the CIA to overthrow Saddam using covert operations. This is not disputed by the White House.
05 Jul 2002 A round of weapons inspectors talks end in Vienna, with no conclusion.
03 Sep 2002 Tony Blair promises to release a dossier of evidence against Saddam. |
